


not a boy

by AutisticWriter



Series: Pride Month Drabbles 2019 [8]
Category: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game)
Genre: Coming Out, Confusion, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Late Night Conversations, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Oliver (Ni no Kuni), Pride month 2019, Quintuple Drabble, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 07:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19204960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: Oliver is questioning his gender and can’t sleep. In the middle of the night, he asks Swaine for advice.





	not a boy

**Author's Note:**

> Throughout June, I will be writing 100-500 word drabbles about characters being LGBTQ+. If you would like me to write a drabble for you, pick the characters/ship and give a short prompt in the comments section of one of these drabbles. For more information, visit the series page!

Oliver used to love camping when he was younger, but he’s not so sure anymore. Whenever they’re too far from a kingdom, he, Esther, Swaine and Mr Drippy set up camp in the middle of nowhere and spend the night in a large tent. And after sleeping on the floor for so many nights, the novelty of camping has started to wear off.

One night, Oliver can’t sleep. Well, most nights he can’t sleep (Mr Drippy’s snoring doesn’t help), but tonight his lack of sleepiness comes from his own mind. His brain whirs with confusion, and Oliver sighs. This confusion has sat with him for several weeks, and he doesn’t know how to feel.

He sighs again, and sits up in his sleeping bag. Oliver switches on his torch and stands up, glad of the zipped doors that separate the four sleeping chambers in the tent, lest he wake the others up with the light. But as he gets up, he realises that Swaine’s door is open. Where is he?

Stretching, Oliver wanders out of the tent, and finds Swaine sat on a log, staring at the now extinguished campfire. He turns when Oliver approaches, squinting and covering his eyes.

“Watch it, Oliver,” he says, and Oliver switches off his torch.

In the moonlight, he can make out enough to not use it, anyway.

Oliver wanders over and sits opposite Swaine, hugging his knees to his chest. “Hello, Swaine.”

“Uh, hi,” Swaine says. “What exactly brings you out here in the middle of the night?”

“Oh, I just can’t sleep. What about you?”

Swaine shrugs. “Always been a bit of an insomniac. So, anything on your mind, kid?”

Oliver looks up at the moon, thoughts swirling through his head. He… he might as well talk about it. “Um…” he says, not sure how to begin. “Swaine, can I ask you about something?”

“If it’s about where babies come from, then no.”

“I’m thirteen, Swaine. I… already had that talk with my mom,” Oliver says, going red and sighing when he thinks of his mom.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Um, the thing is… can you be not a boy?”

Swaine frowns. “Huh?”

“I mean… people call me a boy, but… can I not be one?”

“Oh, now I get you,” Swaine says, nodding. “You’re talking about being transgender. So… are you actually a girl?”

Oliver shakes his head. “No… I’m not a girl. But… I’m not a boy. Swaine… can I be neither?”

“Ah, now I believe that’s called being nonbinary.”

“Non… binary,” Oliver says, trying out the word. “And… lots of people feel this way?”

Swaine nods. “Yeah. Does this mean we’re going to have to get Drippy to stop calling you Ollie-boy?”

He ducks his head. “Um, maybe. I like my name, but… being called a boy just… doesn’t feel right.” Oliver looks at Swaine. “Swaine, I think I’m nonbinary.”

“Good for you,” Swaine says, giving him a thumbs up.

Oliver smiles. It feels so good to work things out.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want me to write you a short fic, drop in a prompt at my [personal prompt meme](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/AutisticWriters_Personal_Prompt_Meme)!


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